24.10.2022.

NBS publishes changed and new monetary statistics tables

Owing to continuous improvement of the methodological bases of statistical research within the remit of the National Bank of Serbia (NBS), through further alignment with international standards and the best statistical practice, in the prior period the NBS has worked intensively on improving monetary statistics, which, inter alia, resulted in methodological changes in monetary statistics tables published on the NBS website.

Methodological changes pertain to the disclosure of currency composition in monetary statistics tables, i.e. all instruments indexed in a foreign currency have been removed from dinar categories and added to FX categories. The existing tables have also been changed so that all categories that used to show dinar and FX-indexed amounts together have now been separated. Changes have been implemented for the entire period for which we have available data (since 2002, inclusive of the last available datum for 2022).

Please note that changes in data for the period before July 2008 were made based on estimates of the share of indexed component by certain categories, given that at the time the Chart of Accounts for banks did not allow for separation by currency.

To increase transparency of monetary and financial statistics data, the NBS also implemented additional changes in monetary statistics tables:

  • The existing tables were expanded in the part showing loans, where the item “Loans under credit cards” was separated from item “Other loans” as a separate time series;
  • New time series have been introduced pertaining to indexation types: dinar (KPR, 1M Belibor, 3M Belibor, 6M Belibor) and FX (1M Euribor, 3M Euribor, 6M Euribor and 12M Euribor);
  • New tables have been drafted showing the composition of loans and deposits by legal entity size, with classification by maturity, purpose and economic activity sector.

For example, based on the data about the stock of loans from September 2022, it is evident that the biggest share in dinar lending pertains to small enterprises (31%), while FX lending (FX and FX-indexed loans in euros) mostly pertains to large enterprises (43%).

By purpose, within dinar lending, working asset loans are dominant. This purpose is dominant with enterprises of all sizes: micro (78%), small (81%), medium-sized (62%) and large (80%).

By purpose, within FX lending, investment loans are dominant. This purpose is dominant with micro (69%), small (51%) and medium-sized (48%) enterprises, while large enterprises use the bulk of FX loans (42%) for the procurement of current assets.

Going forward, the NBS will strive to monitor the needs and interests of professional and broader public for data, and will continue with transparent and timely reporting.

Economic Research and Statistics Department